Sponsored article: Sealing switch boots protect vulnerable switches

One of the main reasons switches fail is because they are not sealed properly, leaving them vulnerable to corrosive environments. Switch boots are designed and manufactured to protect electrical and electronic control devices such as switches; circuit breakers; and control panels from environmental hazards such as water, dust, dirt, grease, and chemicals. Sealing the switch with a boot will enhance its reliability, decrease maintenance and repair expenses and increase customer satisfaction with the final product. Rubber switch boots and covers eliminate expensive malfunctions requiring expensive repair of equipment.

ZaGO’s toggle, pushbutton and rotary switch boots.

Sealing switch boots are used in diverse fields including military, marine, aerospace, automotive, computer and electronic equipment, alternative energy, medical, food and energy processing. Their use is for equipment that is as common as toggle switches on everyday marine equipment and as unique as underwater cameras, as in the following examples:

Even if a switch is “sealed” it still needs a boot! Most equipment manufacturers believe that they can safely protect their equipment with an internally sealed switch, but unfortunately it’s often not enough, even internally sealed switches can fail. As our users can attest, a seal switch still does not protect against, water, oil, dirt and dust entering into the panel through the cut out where the switch is installed. A Sealing Switch Boot will secure and create a perfect seal between the switch and the panel providing the added security needed to protect expensive equipment.

Read more about Zago’s product line here. ZaGO supplies switch boots for toggle switches, push button switches and rotary switches. By replacing the ordinary mounting nut with ZaGO’s seal boot, your switch will have full protection. The boots are molded on a brass hex nut with silicone rubber which conforms to military specifications. No special handling is required; they are easily installed and fit over most standard switches. Switch seal boots are waterproof, not just water resistant, and are available for all types of electrical controls.

Customization is where ZaGO excels.

ZaGO circuit breaker covers are water resistant and made from high strength silicone transparent rubber per MIL-STD ZZR 765. The unique molded design keeps out dirt and moisture and increases the breaker's lever life. ZaGO's unique breaker covers can be applied in two ways: (1) they can be placed over the circuit breaker and bonded to the panel; or (2) they can be applied behind the panel and shaped to fit between the breaker and the panel.

ZaGO Manufacturing introduces a new line of rocker switch sealing boots designed from a high air-resistant silicone rubber. Each rocker switch seal is designed to fully surround the switch and switch frame, while their unique molded-in “panel sealing rib” forms a water-tight and dust-tight seal against the front panel surface to ensure the longevity of the equipment on which they are installed. Our new rocker switch boots are designed to perform under the most severe environmental conditions, providing full protection against exposure to harsh elements such as water, oil, sand, dust, dirt, humidity, or moisture, and other contaminates. Rocker Switch Boots safeguard against the environmental element while keeping safe operability and position transparent and they are manufactured per MIL STD ZZR-765.

Switch Panel Covers: A new option for front panel sealing.Switch panel covers can be produced in either colored or transparent material (for illuminated and non-illuminated applications). These covers provide a positive seal when actuators are projecting from the front panel, providing protection from salt sprays, spills and other harsh environmental challenges. The switch covers maintain effective sealing for temperature ranges of -67F to 356F. This kind of performance and added reliability can be designed into your panel for a low cost with minimum orders as low as 25 pieces.

New Line of Rocker Switch Boots

Panel Busing Seal WashersBushing seals are economical and provides a permanent seal against liquids, dust and other contaminants.The silicone rubber has a durometer hardness of 35 to 55, and excellent resistance to extreme temperatures. These washers are reusable as long as the silicone rubber elements remain intact. All of our panel bushing seals meet milspec Mil-DTL-5423.

Benefits of using ZaGO products All sealing switch boots are crafted from a single piece design. They are ISO Certified, ROHS Compliant, and meet MIL Standards where required. All products are crafted with care in U.S.A. Our in-house manufacturing ensures coordinated and rapid completion of every project. Molds and tooling are produced in our machine shop by machinists who bring over 30 years of experience to every project. Any intricate application is easily produced using the most up-to-date horizontal and vertical CNC machinery. As a result, leading companies in the electronics, medical, military and automotive industries and more depend on us to supply them with switch boots to meet their exacting standards.

We can provide as much assistance as you need, adapting our sealing expertise to your specific product needs. Unlike other switch seal distributors, all of our design, engineering and manufacturing is done here in the U.S. We therefore rapidly design and execute prototypes and adapt them to your requirements quickly and efficiently. Any adjustments that need to be made can be acted upon immediately and once you have approved the prototype we can immediately begin production.